Now that Easter has come and gone and we can legally wear our white shoes, what’s a girl to do about her brooches? Have you been agonizing over the proper alignment of your sparkly jewels? The sheer madness of this cruel world! If it’s not one thing, it’s another.
Well, worry no more. I was always taught, “Jewelry on the left, name tag on the right (sit down, stand up, fight, fight, fight!). Sorry, that’s just how I remember it.
But in all honesty, I don’t think there’s a steadfast rule on left vs. right when it comes to the sparkly, so we shouldn’t worry too much. I mean, don’t loose sleep over it or anything.
However . . . that being said, Queen Elizabeth ALWAYS wears her brooches on the left side. AND, The Duchess of Cambridge, or, “Kate, the girl I wish was my next-door-neighbor-sister-best-friend-in-the-world,” ALWAYS wears her brooches on the left. Here, she models her RAP brooch. How that chic loves her rap music!
Nametags on the right has something to do with shaking hands and being able to see the name clearly.
But the Cast Members at the Happiest Place on Earth wear their name tags on the left. Maybe that’s because it’s so fun to work there, they consider their name tags to be precious jewels!
Our own Southern darling, Laura Bush knows the rule. Her politics may lean to the right, but her brooches are always properly placed to the left.
The reason given for sporting the pin or brooch on the left, is so when you shake hands, the chunky jewels are out of the way – especially in case you lean in for a little peck on the cheek, a-la European style. Having diamonds poke you in the tender shoulder area is such a pain! Don’t you just hate it?
In the world of jewelers, a pin is smaller than a brooch and often has a straight unhinged pin on the back instead of the kind that has a rotating clasp.
Actually, the current first lady also displays her bold brooches on the left side.
I don’t know if it was a political statement or not, but Jaqueline Kennedy chose to feature this stunning brooch in the center of her beautiful evening dress. Perhaps it was because this daring frock had no left or right sides.
But a true American icon stuck to the left-shoulder rule, and Elizabeth knew more about jewels than husbands. Well, okay, maybe it was an even draw there.
This is my collection of family brooches (more about it HERE) I’ve shown you before, and for the most part, I like to wear them in many different ways.
I’ve pinned them on a pocketbook like this, on a jaunty hat, and even once, on my ugly, chunky medical boot when I fractured my little princess foot and had to attend a stylish soiree’. (Wish I had a photo of that!).
But when it comes to my clothing, I’ll stick with Elizabeth and Kate and aim for the left shoulder, because they are such dear friends, I’d hate to disappoint them.
What’s your favorite way to wear your brooches?
Now, I hope you have a lovely, sparkly week.